Lions end regular season with workmanlike win over 'Riders

MIKE BEAMISH, Vancouver Sun11.04.2012

B.C. Lions' quarterback Travis Lulay, left, hands off to Andrew Harris during the first half of a CFL football game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012.Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions' Adam Bighill, top, and Anthony Reddick, bottom, tackle Saskatchewan Roughriders' Aaron Hargreaves after he made a reception during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012.Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Brandon West, left, dives backwards for a first down against the B.C. Lions during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012.Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Brandon West, left, dives backwards for a first down against the B.C. Lions during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012.Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Saskatchewan Roughriders' quarterback Drew Willy, left, is chased down by B.C. Lions' Lin-J Shell during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012.Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions' centre Angus Reid smiles as he walks back to the bench while playing the Saskatchewan Roughriders in his 200th career CFL game during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

B.C. Lions' head coach Mike Benevides walks the sideline as his team plays the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday November 3, 2012.Darryl Dyck
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Brandon West stetches for the first down against the B.C. Lions' in the first half of the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

B.C. Lions' quarterback Travis Lulay (L) hands the ball off to B.C. Lions' Andrew Harris (R) as the Lions play the Saskatchewan Roughriders' in the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

B.C. Lions' Andrew Harris grabs for the ball as the Lions play the Saskatchewan Roughriders'in the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

B.C. Lions' quarterback Travis Lulay throws the ball against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Eddie Russ closes in on B.C. Lions' Rolly Lumbala as he runs the ball in the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

B.C. Lions' quarterback Travis Lulay is sacked by Saskatchewan Roughriders' Brent Hawkins in the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

B.C. Lions #24 Korey Banks and B.C. Lions #26 Anthony Reddick bring down Saskatchewan Roughriders' Scott McHenry in the first half of the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
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B.C. Lions' 44 Adam Bighill and B.C. Lions' 26 Anthony Reddick bring down Saskatchewan Roughriders' 87 Aaron Hargreaves in the first half of the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

B.C. Lions' 44 Adam Bighill and B.C. Lions' 26 Anthony Reddick bring down Saskatchewan Roughriders' 87 Aaron Hargreaves in the first half of the Lions final game of the 2012 Canadian Football League (CFL ) regular season at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, November 03 2012.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

Related

In two weeks’ time, the B.C. Lions will play either the Calgary Stampeders or Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Division final at BC Place Stadium.

Based on their play over the past two weeks, a ticket to the 100th Grey Cup in Toronto is no certainty.

The Lions finished off the 2012 CFL regular season with a workmanlike 17-6 over the Roughriders Saturday night, though the ‘Riders rested a number of their regulars, including starting quarterback Darian Durant and leading receiver Weston Dressler.

The win allowed the Lions to finish the season at 13-5, but they left some unanswered questions about the team’s immediate future, such as: Did quarterback Travis Lulay, seeing action for the first time since an injury to his shoulder Oct. 12, get enough work in his playoff tune-up to make a difference? Will injuries to defensive end Keron Williams, the team’s sack leader, and starting right guard Dean Valli, affect cohesion at the line of scrimmage? And did the Lions show enough to recapture some of the momentum lost when they were embarrassed by the Stampeders, 41-21, on Oct. 26?

Hard to say. The game was of little significance, in that the Lions clinched first place in the West Division two weeks ago. The 8-10 Roughriders, who’ll play Calgary in the West semi-final, Nov. 11 at McMahon Stadium, knew their playoff partner before kickoff and played backup quarterbacks Drew Willy and J.T. O’Sullivan to play out the string.

The Lions produced only one touchdown, the Roughriders none, and the worry, from B.C.’s perspective, was the lack of

The Lions produced only a pair of field goals in the second half -- Paul McCallum’s second and third of the game -- as backup QB Mike Reilly, who took over from Lulay early in the second quarter, struggled to put points on the board.

Lulay left the game early in the second quarter with his team ahead 7-0, having completed nine of 14 passes for 88 yards. He was sacked twice. But his streak of having thrown a touchdown pass in 26 straight games ended when Reilly came in to play.

After the Lions pinned the ‘Riders deep in their zone, Tim Brown’s punt return to the Saskatchewan 31-yard line gave his team a short path to the end zone. Lulay’s 12-yard pass to Shawn Gore set up a 20-yard run by Andrew Harris for his fifth rushing touchdown of the season to put B.C. ahead 7-0.

Following a 45-yard single by McCallum, Reilly took over with four minutes gone in the second quarter.

He had handling problems on his first snap, but picked up the ball and ran for 13 yards to begin a 102-yard drive that moved the ball to the Saskatchewan five-yard line. On second down, however, Reilly’s high pass went through the fingertips of Nick Moore, and the Lions’ settled for a 13-yard McCallum field goal to go ahead 11-0.

The ‘Riders didn’t produce a first down in the opening quarter and mounted just four yards of total offence to the Lions’

107.

Two Lions went down with apparent knee injuries in the first half -- Williams and Valli. And, just before half-time, defensive tackle Eric Taylor limped off the field after a cut block by Roughrider centre Dominic Picard, although he returned later.

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